Learn more about Tokyo’s Book Town, Kanda-Jinbōchō, and its two end-of-the-year book festivals, featuring the biggest secondhand book market in Japan.
Every year, two neighborhoods in Chiyoda City host the Kanda Used Book Festival and the Jimbocho Book Festival – two events that book lovers in Japan won’t want to miss.
Origin Story for Tokyo’s Book Town
Kanda-Jinbōchō, informally known as Jimbocho, is a neighborhood in Chiyoda City, Tokyo, and is the place to go for secondhand books of every genre and type.
Starting at the end of the nineteenth century, foreign language schools started opening up in the area, followed by bookstores and a publishing house. It went through two devastating fires, one in 1913 and another in 1923, but it has risen from the ashes of those tragedies stronger than ever.
A Bookstore Every Few Feet
In total, this one neighborhood boasts a staggering 130 bookstores and book cafés. These range from tiny holes in the wall only able to fit two or three people at a time to a massive, three-building hub with more books than cherry blossoms in a tree-lined street. You can check out the website here to see a full list of all of Jimbocho’s stores.
Jimbocho is quite literally jam-packed with books, making for a veritable bibliophile’s paradise. So, no surprise it has been featured in different media, such as the manga series Dropkick on my Devil and the light novel series Read or Die.
Kanda Used Book Festival
Given the area’s status as Tokyo’s book town, it’s really no wonder it hosts not one, but two book festivals. The bigger event is the Kanda Used Book Festival, and it’s notable as the biggest market for secondhand books in all of Japan. Lasting a week or more, the stalls set up along Yasukuni Street create what has been nicknamed a “corridor of books.”
It’s no wonder, either, because walking down the street between rows of shelves piled high, it feels like you’ve walked into a whole forest of books, books, and more books. Some of them, no doubt, are rare and valuable; don’t be surprised if you find more than a few collectors’ items here. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that millions of books are on sale during the festival – it’s a huge deal.
Books aren’t the only things you can find, either. Some stalls sell postcards, art, or handmade knick-knacks. The festival also hosts lectures, so if you’re curious about what the literary scene looks like in Japan, it’s the perfect opportunity to find out.
One of the nicest perks of going to this particular festival is that you can find delivery services that will send your stacks of purchases straight to your address. No worries about hauling around luggage made ten times heavier by a pack of hardbacks; Kanda wants you to give your back a break.
Jimbocho Book Festival
While the Kanda festival offers a broad and fairly eclectic selection of used and antique books, the Jimbocho Book Festival hosts almost entirely publishers selling new releases. And they’re not just run-of-the-mill volumes, either. Publishers will often sell signed copies limited edition bookmarks and book covers to go with the books. It adds a unique appeal to the festival and a reason to flock there rather than trudging off to the same old bookstore as always. Who doesn’t succumb to a shiny, collectible gimmick every now and then?
Books aren’t all that you can find here. The festival only lasts over the weekend, but it makes the absolute most of the little time it has, stuffing the weekend full of performances featuring local elementary schools, nearby universities, and even, on occasion, celebrities. Expect to hear and see loads of instrumental mini-concerts and marching bands, plus live dance and comedy shows.
The Jimbocho Book Festival is definitely a lot more showy than its Used Book counterpart, but each has its own strong point that makes both worthwhile events to attend.
When & Where to Get That Book Fix
The Jimbocho Book Festival usually takes place on the last weekend of October. For 2024, that means October 26-27. It takes place along Kanda-Suzuran Street, which runs parallel to Yasukuni just a couple of streets south and also occupies an open space around the Jimbocho Mitsui Building.
The Kanda Used Book Festival, on the other hand, starts on Friday around the same time and lasts at least a week. This year, it’ll be a week and a half, starting October 25th and ending November 4th. As mentioned above, it’s held for a stretch of about 500 meters (or 0.3 miles) along Yasukuni Street.
Since Jimbocho Station exits right onto Yasukuni Street, walking to Kanda Used Book Festival is as easy as stepping out of the train station, and it’s not much farther to get to the Jimbocho Book Festival. The bus is also a possibility, but the train is definitely the easiest way to get there.
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Odessa
K Lou
K. Lou is a writer born in the U.S. who found her way to Japan through a spiritual calling—or, more precisely, better access to tea. She writes about travel, culture, and the occasional creative piece, inspired by her enduring love of books. This love began in high school when K. Lou carried books around to avoid seeming odd while lost in thought. Once she started reading, she never stopped. With zero regrets, she continues to explore the written word and invites others to join her in celebrating its varied forms.
